Keep Asking Questions – How first time clients can become repeat customers

Tapping into that revolving door of new customers

Depending on the industry or transaction, a client’s need to have a document notarized can be an everyday occurrence or happen only a couple of times in a lifetime. Some examples of more frequent needs for a notary on staff include law firms and development companies. Legal documents, such as Powers of Attorney, and development documents, such as Grant Deeds or Lease Agreements, may frequently require multiple signatures and notarization. 

Residential property purchases or living trust signings are less frequent transactions for most people. But when a mobile notary gets an assignment from a signing service, the notary is usually dealing with a client they have never met before, and it may be just a one-time transaction.

But meeting new clients daily is a great way to increase the number of regular clients you see on a more frequent schedule. You just have to ask the right questions when those opportunities present themselves. This is especially opportunistic if you will be providing service at a business that does not have its own in-house notary public.

Mobile Notaries provide the widest variety of services

Especially here in California, where real estate values are high, home refinances are what keep most mobile notary signing agents busy. But those transactions have slowed due to rising interest rates and the fact that most homeowners are not refinancing multiple times on the same properties.

So those clients will most likely be single-service transactions. But when mobile notaries have extensive experience with a wide variety of signing services across many industries and professions, the likelihood of serving business and commercial clients is very high. The business clients also tend to have their documents prepared in-house, saving the notary both time and money by avoiding the need to print large sets of documents.

This is also where confidence and customer service matter most as part of your first impression at these types of signings. Offering professional services that are convenient for busy businesses saves them time and money, as well as notary training and insurance costs.

It doesn’t hurt to ask.

At the conclusion of the signing appointment, don’t be afraid to ask the client some questions as to how often they need notary services performed for their business. Some clients will have long-standing relationships with signing services or a notary referral company. But you never know how strong that relationship is unless you ask how that service is going for their particular company’s needs.

Maybe the signing service fees have been rising, and the business is now looking for a competitive provider with better pricing and terms. Maybe they no longer have a good working relationship with their notary referral and would like a change now that you’ve had a chance to meet them in person and dazzle them with the excellent notary service.

You never know…unless you ask. And even if the answer is no, or they are happy with their usual notary provider, be sure the client has your up-to-date contact information and service pricing for when they are ready to give you a chance to do more of their regular business.